Summer 25 HFLC Boot Camp: Week 2

[prettybird]

Good Morning Campers or it will be by the time most of you are reading this

Here we are at Week 2 This is my favourite week: the one where people (usually) see the biggest results. But if you haven’t, don’t despair. As long as you follow The Rules, the results will come

It really helps that everyone - from newbies to experienced Boot Campers - is sharing their experiences, both the successes and the slip ups . You are all stars . I haven’t had to get the Big Stick out much as people have usually recognised what happened and worked out strategies for future challenges.

The link to the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness is here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hlJKScntZ78g7eAkaR7hF_uiL0t3WGumIFvHvDAvfJI/edit?usp=

I know some have already put in their weigh-in results. It is always really heartening to see the Week 1 whooshes.

But don't despair if you haven't lost as much as others. Remember, this isn't a competition . We're all here with different startpoints, and everyone loses at a different rate anyway. We all need to KOKO.

That’s also why we encourage taking measurements - usually if the scales aren’t moving, then the inches are! downwards of course

One more week of strict Boot Camp and then we can choose to go on to Boot Canp Light for those of us who want to

The Rules are still the same: you can find them on the OP of the Week 1 thread and also in the Spreadsheet of Fabulousness.

I've not weighed myself yet as I had too many slip ups at a family birthday weekend, negating the good work earlier in the week, so I've repeated my starting weight in the spreadsheet. This week I'm largely following the Ubercamp menu in the spreadsheet, to keep things simple.

Every weekend for the next six we're away (including a trip to Paris - the pastries!!!) so I will need all my reserves of willpower and food swap tricks. I really need to feel better about myself so the focus is definitely on how to get back into LCHF and stay there!

@CrystalTits I know that things are going wrong for me when I stop getting on the scales. Sometimes I just have to confront reality. Only you will know whether that drives you positively to get back on it with a vengeance or whether you're likely to slink away...

(Oh God, I'm laying in the garden and a seagull just shat on me! Back soon)

@CrystalTits regarding your upcoming weekends I have 2 bits of advice:

1. don't look ahead. It can be tempting to look at your itinerary and project that any weight loss attempts will be futile. Ergo, don't try at all. Instead, take each day as it comes, follow the rules, get into this way of eating, drink lots of water. It will all do you good.

2. do look ahead. I know we don't weigh and measure or count calories, but if you're anticipating a big weekend can you adopt intermittent fasting during the week and deliberately consume less?

3. plan your food according to where you're going. Paris - confit duck leg with veg. Italy - plates of ham, cheese, olives, tomatoes. England - pork and veg. Scotland - haggis and mash a bbq - steak, sausage and coleslaw...

4. (and please don't tell @prettybird that I'm suggesting this on bootcamp) if you are terribly tempted by pastries can you share them? I can usually persuade dh that we'll share 1/4 to 3/4 of a pain au chocolate or a cinnamon swirl. So I get a taste, but not the whole damage.

@venusandmars thank you SO much for the advice (and for coming back after the seagull strike!).

I figured I'd weigh in later in the week and update my numbers after a couple of days of compliance - but I totally get what you're saying about scale-dodging. I'm not planning to slink off anywhere this BC and have definitely committed to positive results.

You're right, I need to stop worrying about the weekends and go with the flow making good choices, which tbh I do find much easier once I'm in the WOE as I feel less hungry for snacking and am satiated by the LCHF meals. I hadn't really thought about using IF to consume less in the week, I can definitely do this. I'm sure I'll have no problem finding suitable dishes in France and <don't tell @prettybird> maybe I'll sneak a bite of a pastry but only if I'm sure it won't derail. It feels like an outrageously first world problem to worry about - I've got a couple of weeks to see some scale victories and NSVs which I'm sure will motivate me.

Having my meals planned works best, and I don't need much variety, just consistency - I could eat chicken thighs / LC moussaka with shoogled sprouts or cabbage every night! I'm off home now to throw some chicken in the air fryer and make sure I have leftovers for later in the week...

My Big Stick is not as big as BIWI’s

My strategy - ssshhhh as I shouldn’t admit this as the runner of this Boot Camp - is to allow myself one of my favourite patisseries and maybe a pain au chocolat and to eat it mindfully. But I like @venusandmars’ idea of sharing and only having a small portion.

The problem is that one can lead to another, and another and another….

And on this WoE, we’re trying to break the hold that carbs - especially sweet ones- have on us.

I’m a “moderator” so that psychologically, it’s better to allow myself to have one (mindfully) when I’m somewhere special than to feel deprived. I can do that if it’s just a short period. For “abstainers”, they have to completely (as per the name ) abstain as otherwise they’ll fall face first back into full carb overload.

If you do choose to partake, make sure to drink plenty of water and don’t go overboard with all the usual fatty things you can enjoy on this WoE. @venusandmarshas some good advice on that.

I agree with @venusandmars- stopping getting on the scales is, for me, a way of sticking my head in the sand I use it as a reminder to drink all the water, check whether I’m snacking when I’m not really hungry and reconsider my portion sizes, if I see my weight fluctuating too often upwards.

But if you do find those variations de-motivating, then for some of us weekly weighing - or even just measurements/comfort of clothes - is better.

Saw this on Facebook and thought it would be good for those of us with courgette gluts
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1G9HW8ASgZ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Forgot to welcome @CherryogDogand @Perimenofullhalt

Good to see you back. You already know that this WoE works - if you stick at it

Good luck and hopefully the rest of us can help you stay on track, so that you see the results that you’re wanting

I don't care what he's cooking, I'm only listening to his voice... (swoon)

This woe worked really well for me a few years ago (I lost 10kgs) but I ended up with gallstones and had to have an op.
I'm even heavier now than I was back then :(
I gave 20kgs to lose :(
Is HFLC possible without a gallbladder?
Thanks

In the end I plumped for a leftover pork chop shredded in a salad of lettuce red pepper and cucumber@venusandmars but mindful that it wasn't very high in fat I had a bit of cheese afterwards. It wasn't the most exciting supper though, I must plan better tomorrow.

I haven't weighed yet but might brave the scales tomorrow. I had a reverse NSV this week in that some trousers, that 12 months ago were too baggy to be wearable, are now fitting nicely

2 whole days!

@swampwitch0 I don't think any of us can give you advice, but you might want to look at this https://keto-mojo.com/article/keto-without-gallbladder/ keto-mojo.com/article/keto-without-gallbladder/]]]]

@StuntNunhas iirc in the past given some good advice about HFLC without a gallbladder. IIRC, the key thing was to increase the fat content in your meals gradually to give your body a chance to adjust.

We’re not qualified to give you medical advice though.

I just returned from the allotment with 5 courgettes. Thank you so much for this stroke of low carb gorgeousness!!!

I’m still here, day 2
B creamy coffee
L tuna mayo & boiled eggs on lettuce, cherry tomatoes and cucumber with Caesar dressing
D chicken & mayo on lettuce wraps with a babybel, & some olives
all the water, no booze
I'm still scavenging out of the fridge rather than meal planning and cooking but I think that’s how I’m feeling this week in this heat.

prettybird I love the look of that courgette gratin. I cba to blend things but I’m thinking it would be good just cooked to mushy bits?

Kept forgetting to weigh but I've just done it and I'm 1lb down. Still feels like a long way to go!

Thanks for adding me. @FinallyHere . NSV today. Off to work in the new trousers I bought on line in size 12 and they wouldn’t do up . Wearing them comfortably today. I got back on the wagon 3rd week of July I think so a little longer than the start of this bootcamp. @CleanQueen123 if you feel like it’s a long way to go try breaking it down into smaller targets. My first target is to get to half a stone down, then below 11st 7 then below 11stone etc.

I love that NSV @jollyholibobs and I'm taking your advice about breaking it down. My goal is for a particular pair of trousers, that fasten but are a bit too tight, to feel more comfortable by the end of next week.

Braved the scales today, on one hand not as bad as I thought (though still at least 10kg to lose), on the other hand I need to avoid the "It's not that bad; actually a glass of wine wouldn't be the end of the world" mentality.

I feel like the only bootcamper without access to a ready supply of courgettes

No courgette supply here either! But I do have a marrow (super-courgette!) donated by my mum, so I'm making this for dinner tonight and subbing the balsamic for Worcestershire sauce: https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/meat-and-poultry/stuffed-marrow/

That's what I'm trying to do. 3lbs to go until I hit my first target of 11st 7lbs and then 7lbs to get down to 11st.

I agree about mini goals. My first mini goal was to get under 12st, which I’ve now achieved (11st 13.25lb this week). Next one is to get under 11st 10lb.

I also have NSV targets of a skirt that I want to be more comp (and not gape at the buttons near the top ) and a belt I want to stop straining. I’ve also just bought a pair of cream linen trousers off Amazon in L (which I think is just a 12/14 in UK sizing ) which are a bit tight/muffin top-ish and I’d like fit into them well enough to take on holiday (although I do have a pair of chinos as back up )

No courgettes OR marrows here sadly!
@CleanQueen123 csnt recall if it was biwi or another long term poster who had an image of a pound of fat! It’s a LOT!! Do not be discouraged. It’s all steps in the right direction.

I’m also focussed on stages, achievable 5lb ones. I use ‘happy scale’ app as I’m a daily weigher and LOVE how it evens out the ups & downs and estimates when you’ll reach each of your mini goals. It’s the free version.

@Perimenofullhalt- even though I’m growing 4 courgette plants and one patty pan plant, I don’t have a glut as they aren’t being properly pollinated (and the patty pan plant is only producing male flowers ). So far, I’ve only successfully harvested 5 small ones (and two of them were starting to rot due to incomplete pollination, which I’ve disguised ).

They were used to make courgette, herb and feta fritters on Sunday (do have some almond flour and psyllium husk in them but they are ds’ veggie girlfriend’s favourite and it was her birthday meal ) and a wee raw courgette and lemon dressing salad. If I ever get any decent sized courgettes though, I’m going to try that gratin.

No courgettes in our garden but our neighbour brought one round recently. The phrase "what will I do with Roger's enormous gourd?" is like something from a dodgy Benny Hill sketch!

Loving hearing of the victories both scale and non-scale and mini goals. My first mini goal is to get back to where I was before my holiday (6lbs) and that feels manageable for now.
B creamy coffee
L - chicken mayonnaise & avo salad
D - butter chicken with cauli rice, ts broccoli and cucumber & tomato salad. Swerved the naan & mango chutney and had a low carb AF beer.
lost track of water today but I think I’m pretty much there.